Book Club // Prayer

Hi all! My book club periscope for today got derailed by a cold. I literally can’t breathe through my nose and can barely talk so I figured a blog post would be better!

1. QUESTIONS FROM CHAPTER ONE:

Why did you pick up this book? What are you hoping to learn? How to move past the knowledge stage. To stop the never-ending loop of “I really should…”

What do you want to be different when you read the last page? I’ll be practicing what I know to be true. A living testament to a living God who is at work in me.

What does your ideal day look like? My ideal day begins with prayer and time in the Word, not my phone. This fuels my day and helps point all my decisions to Jesus. I am mentally strong enough to not be swayed by every twist of my day but can exercise discipline and experience peace and joy despite what may come my way to mess it up. Every day offer up to the one who gave me life.

Out of your book: “But He instead decided to use us and allow us to be a part of His plan.”

Into your life: I want to remember this quote. Being able to change is a gift. How cool that our growth can be used in His plan?

Apart of God’s plan: Father, speak to me. Call my attention to things I haven’t seen after reading this book 10 times! Thank you for the opportunity to learn from others.

2. A CHALLENGE AS WE READ:

In your book on the first page of each chapter or on a notecard, write PRAY FIRST. We want God to be a part of this whole journey. Can you imagine what God could do if we open every chapter asking God to speak to us. I have read plenty of books just glazing over the words and I’ve read other books expectant where the words just off the page into my heart. I respect your time and want us to make the most of it!!

3. THOUGHTS ON PRAYER:

I think we all know prayer is important but doing it is still hard. JUST START. Don’t over think it. Pray God would remind you to pray throughout your day. I have days where I don’t pray and days where I spend so many moments praying. I am always reminded that taking the time to pray is more than worth it! It makes me think of exercise. Once I workout I wonder why I don’t go more!

4. SOME THINGS I’VE LEARNED SINCE WRITING THIS CHAPTER:

For each chapter, I’ll plan to share some things I’ve learned or quotes from books that I have found particularly impactful since writing the book. Reading the book A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller really opened by eyes to the humbleness of prayer.

1. Prayer makes us confront our own weakness. “When we slow down to pray, we are immediately confronted with how unspiritual we are, with how difficult it is to concentrate on God. We don’t know how bad we are until we try to be good. Nothing exposes our selfishness and spiritual powerlessness like prayer.”

2. That’s actually a good thing. “A needy heart is a praying heart. Dependency is the heartbeat of prayer. So when it starts getting uncomfortable, don’t pull back from God. He is just starting to work. Be patient.”

3. We can even use the weakness of anxiety for good. “Instead of fighting anxiety, we can use it as a springboard to bending our hearts to God. …What does an unused prayer link look like? Anxiety. Instead of connecting with God, our spirits fly around like severed power lines, destroying everything they touch. Anxiety wants to be God but lacks God’s wisdom, power, or knowledge.”

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!! Leave a comment here or in the FB group with some things you discovered as you worked through the questions or quotes that stuck out to you!!

WANT TO JOIN?

Join the Facebook group here. There will be weekly periscopes (@valmariepaper) to introduce a new chapter, discuss what we are learning, ask questions and share ideas for making this stuff stick! You can watch previous videos at
https://www.periscope.tv/ValMariePaper for the 24 hours after the video first appears (every Monday at noon) or see all the videos a thttps://katch.me/ValMariePaper.
Order a copy of the book and other TFS tools on our website.http://bit.ly/1OPT4hG

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HI! I’M VAL!

I’m a Deep South gal, who lives off dark chocolate, lime lacroix, books and Psalm 16:11. I love chatting about prayer, motherhood, entrepreneurship, books and margin and my absolute favorite? When I get share how it all blends together! 🙂